"How much patience will they keep with Quinton de Kock?" - Aakash Chopra on the key aspects for KKR in IPL 2025 clash vs RR
Former India opener Aakash Chopra has picked the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) opening combination as a key aspect heading into their IPL 2025 clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). He wondered how long the franchise would persist with Quinton de Kock if he continues to fail at the top of the order.
KKR will lock horns with RR in both sides' second IPL 2025 game in Guwahati on Wednesday, March 26. De Kock managed only four runs off five deliveries in the defending champions' seven-wicket loss in the season opener against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Kolkata four days ago.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener opined that Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine would be in focus in KKR's clash against RR.
"What will be the two or three big aspects for them? One will be opening because last year's success was built on this foundation. So Quinton de Kock with Sunil Narine. The captain and coaching staff have changed here. Gautam (Gambhir) is not there and Chandrakant Pandit ji is managing the team. So how much patience will they keep with Quinton de Kock? That will be a question," Chopra said (8:05).
The former KKR player added that the franchise would need Narine to replicate his last season's performances at the top of the order.
"Also considering the kind of explosive player Sunil Narine is, the question is always there whether he can play the same way as he did last year. I am looking very closely at their opening combination. Half of this team's story will be set if the opening combination is set. So that is an important one," Chopra observed.
Sunil Narine amassed 488 runs at a strike rate of 180.74 in 14 innings in IPL 2024. He made an impressive start to IPL 2025, scoring 44 runs off 26 deliveries against RCB.
"The middle order got absolutely flattened" - Aakash Chopra on KKR's other key aspect in IPL 2025 clash vs RR
![Andre Russell and KKR's other middle-order batters failed to deliver against RCB. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/dc7e0-17429711706886-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the Kolkata Knight Riders' middle order was found wanting in the IPL 2025 opener against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
"The second thing I am seeing from KKR's point of view is that the middle order got absolutely flattened. You had scored 100 runs in 10 overs and should have gone till 200-225, and you reached 175 with great difficulty. This is not a batting order like that," he said (9:00).
The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the three-time champions would want their middle order to be at their destructive best.
"It has Rinku Singh, Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh, and they also used Angkrish Raghuvanshi. So if you have so much depth, variety, and power in batting, then come to the fore, my friend. Absolutely smash them to bits. They will be hurt for sure as they were humbled at home," Chopra observed.
Aakash Chopra added that he is curious to see whether the Kolkata Knight Riders will field Spencer Johnson or Anrich Nortje in their playing XI and how Harshit Rana is utilized. To conclude, he picked Ajinkya Rahane and company as the favorites heading into Wednesday's game.